#7 is a fabulous position to have in an EOY *.* Really glad that you took to 'Earth Not Above' so much :heart: And quite a large amount of my entries for that matter :kink: But it has not been one-sided as you know, some great stuff from Terra Avium this year *.*

 

Fab commentary there, the epic feel of 'Earth Not Above' really drew me into it on first listen. Definitely felt like something a bit different to round the year off with!

6. Persephonia – TWRR – Water Frozen

 

 

Was that intentional, possibly :kink: So yes, #TerraPhonia hasn't QUITE been as strong this year as established, totes your fault ofc., take after Jade and send more synths!!11 However, they still have a respectable four entries in here which are all marvellous and when they get it right, they still are one of the best nations here. This was a perfect example of that and I'd go as far to say it's one of my favourite entries by you. Starting with such a desolate atmospheric ballad with longing lyrics, it has a beautiful build up as choral voices and synths gradually enter before becoming a melancholic electro-indie whirlwind. I think someone said it somewhere, but it does remind me a bit of Linkin Park at their best with their new sound. This got my 18 points in BJSC 87.

Edited December 4, 20168 yr by Chez Wombat

5. Vulkyria – The Flavor – Shosholoza

 

 

One of the proper big hits of the year now, I'm not always on board with Vulkyria (I do hope you come back soon!), but occasionally, they can send something so wonderfully infectious and feel good like this. Settle Down's one example and this is another. It wouldn't sound too out of place in the Lion King musical, it's chanting combined with dance boppiness always brings me so much joy and happy feeling about things that listening to any world music would do, and I was very pleased to see it get as high as 3rd in it's contest. Here's to another great finish in TBooooh wait -_- This got my 15 Points in BJSC 84, where did my 18 go tho? ;o

Edited December 4, 20168 yr by Chez Wombat

Wonderful to see 'Water Frozen' getting a place in your top 10 :heart: I believe it was Jonjo that pointed out the Linkin Park similarity and I certainly can see where that's coming from! Happy with having three other tracks in your top 100 as well, not a bad showing at all ~

 

(And yes Jadakissnia were your most pointed country of 2016 by quite a lot, you actually gave them more points than even I did!! 99 points compared to 91 that I gave them, and 59 that you gave to your 2nd top country of the year (Ethanola)).

 

Honestly not sure I even need to do an EOY, it looks like you have pretty much all the same songs as I will have in mine. :D

 

P.S. my planned next entry is possibly the most Terra Avium song I've ever sent so fingers crossed TerraPhonia2k17 will be off to a good start :o (I have about 6 other songs I want to send as well, not all of which I think will quite be so much to your taste :kink:)

;o consider me hyped

 

4. Fljotavik – Big Black Delta feat. Debbie Gibson – RCVR

 

 

So yes, the song that narrowly beat Shosholoza to my 18 in BJSC 84 very narrowly still retains that title, it was near impossible to separate these two. I've always been a huge fan of Fljotavik, always bringing it with the classy and edgy indie, this one felt like a classic early 1980s style duet with both voices perfectly complementing each other with their differences and similarities, an absolutely wonderful synthy breakdown midway through the track is also a highlight. Definitely up there with the best of your entries, D*, It's also the last track below six minutes to appear in this countdown ;o

Edited December 4, 20168 yr by Chez Wombat

3. #00274E – Paul Cronin – Now Bad Boy

 

 

#00274E's really big hits this year, the marvellous How Do I Love You aside, passed me by a bit, including their winner. This though, was a BIG exception and really standing out as something quite different from them was this rave masterpiece. I know most preferred the other rave-style entry, The Legend entered later in the year, but I massively preferred this as it's more raw early 90s Prodigy style rave with the odd casio keyboard voice effect thrown and an immensely :dance: feeling throughout without ever feeling repetitive, it's really missing from a lot of BJSC dance entries. One of the coolest and freshest bangers of the contest, only right coming from the coolest nation in the game. This got my 18 points in BJSC 83.

Edited December 4, 20168 yr by Chez Wombat

2. Ethanola – Hilight Tribe – Free Tibet (Vini Vici Remix)

 

 

Oh so close to being my number 1, but it didn't quite happen, but surely one of the tracks that 2016 BJSC will be remembered for. I've always had a soft spot for Ethan's long dance entries, to me they are more atmospheric and minimalist than boring, however this was just something else. Not content with subtlety at all, it's a rapidly changing musical experience of blaring foghorns, Far Eastern vibes and Dalai Lama chants that you just never know where it's going to go next. I can safely say I have never heard a piece of music quite like this one and I am truly thankful to BJSC for allowing me to discover things like this! Bravo on this year, Ethan, who I've been quite the stan of from afar, they've certainly made this year as the year I take notice of them. This got my 18 Points in the bloodbath that was BJSC 82 and was one of the reasons that made that contest so great, and the fact it won that contest was the icing on the cake.

Free Tibet recognition :heart:

 

I just hope it does reasonably well in TBO.

1. Seyetana – Nayo Hiiragi – Requiem

 

 

But my number 1 goes to yet another long dance journey of a song. Again, there's very little chance I turn down hard trance and this one was especially excellent with a quite beautiful opening and the little Japanese distorted vocals that break up the beats, effectively add a lot more emotion to what would've been a straight out banger and makes it resonate with me a bit deeper. I've found myself coming back to this one more and more over the year and still remains a riveting listen to this day. I've never felt like I've loved any of Seyetana's entries, despite how much they as a nation point us so I was very happy that this started off a very good year for #Terretana and I'm pleased to award you the only #1 of the year that matters, WD Iz :cheer: (and this coincidentally means my top 4 were my 18 pointers from 81-84 in exact order, oooh ;o)

 

-x-

 

Aaaand that concludes the year for us, I guess, thanks all who have been kind enough to point us this year and to all countries in this list for the great discoveries <3 No matter how busy my life gets, I can still rely on this contest to deliver me the very best new music of the year, I just hope next year we get the right countries through to TBO ^_^ Terra out.

Edited December 4, 20168 yr by Chez Wombat

ooh yay Requiem! that was a great entry, I would like to see more songs like that in the contest but then again they don't usually do well.

Well all of those top 3 also got 18s from me (I'm not sure it registered for me that we had the same 18 three contests in a row!) so... yes, I approve. *.* All of them will for sure be right near the top of my EOY too [/spoilers].

Holy hell... yes!!! I was noting with approval all of the Séyetana entries lower down your rank and I figured Requiem would be in the top 10 as I was reading through this earlier but I didn't expect it to be at the #1 at all, but I'm very pleased that you love it as much as I do Chez

 

RCVR and Free Tibet and Shosholoza and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence are all incredible too and are likely to be somewhere near the top of my rank, I should start compiling that, very well done for ripping through an EOY in one day and making it look so classy.

Oooh I've been expecting "Way Of Life" to make some of these but not so soon! Thanks for the support!

How many birds are there in Terra Avium? Is the entire population from the Animalia class of Aves?

How many birds are there in Terra Avium? Is the entire population from the Animalia class of Aves?

 

Close to around 20 Million, give or take [/late] and yes...well maybe not anymore

 

Terra Avium at 50

 

For this month, the nation of birds nears the five year participation mark in the Buzzjack Song Contest, and while there has been some moments of despair (like being taken over by dinosaurs and moments like last month where the collective taste of humans just baffles us birds, this month aside, I don't understand how you all couldn't have been encaptured by the dark beauty of Fall on Me, watch Black Mirror x), but it has largely been a very rewarding experience for the Avian kind. It is at this landmark that we saw a fond farewell to President Orlee, out mentor throughout the war days in Animalia and our leader since our inception has decided to retire at the grand old age of 160. We thank him for his services. His replacement is to take place via election next month, though it is widely expected to be his trusted associate, Hornbillary Clinton, there is no other competition expected, except a bizarre cult following for outspoke children's entertainment mascot, Donald Duck.

 

However, as a parting gift, President Orlee has completed his major project that would be promised to 'bridge the gap between our world and others to make for an inclusive wholesome society'. The result a stretch of unused land between Terra Avium and Terra's Mammalia, Serpentium, Amphibian, Piscium and Insecta where for the first time since the world of Animalia fell, all species can live under the same roof on the same plains in a land known as AFRICA, it is seperate from their individual territories and will be governed by a representative from each land. It is already being claimed as historical move and one that will move towards a united and multicultural Terra Avium, however it is not without it's detractors, with some (mainly that of Donald Duck and his supporters) saying it will lead to clashes between species and similar events that led up to the original war of Animalia.

 

The land is expected to have it's grand opening next week.

 

http://i68.tinypic.com/28c3kbb.jpg

 

(This also serves as a hint to my entry btw as I know you didn't read all of that x I will also be doing a special to celebrate the 50th starting very soon)

 

Is it the Circle Of Life?

 

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljk7n1am3L1qe5bt0o1_500.gif

 

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaants ingonyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaama bagithi babaaaaaaaaaaa

Sithi uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhmm ingonyaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaa

I feel like something quite spectacular may be coming *.*

You're not actually that far off with that one Cody! Ofc. it's spectacular ;o

 

-x-

 

OK, here's the special thing I was doing for my 50th

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/21engvk.jpg

 

Over the next few days/weeks (I can't guarantee this will be done speedily, but it will be finished x), I'll be looking back at the past five years both in terms of our own entries and other countries. How it's gonna work is for each year (2012 through to 2016) I will do some little reviews of both my own entries for that year and ten of my favourite BJSC discoveries from that year. I won't be ranking these, I feel it's best to focus on the songs themselves rather than emphasise some with a ranking system that would likely be different on another day, also I've kept it to one country per year, if just to allow more representation. It won't be big on commentary, don't really have time for that and I've waxed lyrical about all these songs before in EOY lists etc., but it's a lovely trip down memory lane for myself and I hope some of you can relive some past gems from both us and other nations. It's these amazing discoveries that have kept us around all these years!

 

Will be posting 2012 tonight~

 

Starting with my own entries ofc. cos I can

 

2012: Home

 

So, it may go to the likes of Usfland or Thelonia or whatever these days, but back in 2012 when I first joined, it was kinda me that was there, Put it in perspective - In my twelve contests, I had seven consecutive DNQs (at the time a record, though it would later be overtaken by poor Singerpurear (never lose hope guys!)) and of the four that made the final, all but one finished last...and that one reached the dizzying heights of second last on a tiebreak...yeah :') Looking back, what caused this was a combination of none being particularly standout or wide appealing, not cementing a particular sound and just purely not realising what does well and what doesn't. Some of these really are facepalm moments. Nonetheless, let's have a look back at my wall of shame...

 

01; BJSC XLII /

/ 28th/29

 

So this was where it all started and for over a year, my most successful entry. Stupidly cheap by today's standards ofc. but we all were once and I'd been contemplating entering this song contest for a while back then and I felt this (which I found on Digital Spy, my sole source for entries this year which I thankfully abandoned) would be a good place to start, it felt like a sound Buzzjack would like (when BJSC was quite a bit more pop ;o) and Skylar Grey wasn't exactly a household name. It was a first time qualifier which I was pleased about, but it was just a tad to anonymous to do much else. Honestly, this is one of my flops I still rank quite highly, it's a fairly standard dance track but Skylar's incredible vocals elevate it to great status and post the second chorus it really becomes quite chilling. Definitely not one I'd send these days, but definitely not one I disown.

 

 

02; BJSC XLIII /

/ 29th/29

 

Yep, we laid claim to Bastille and when this video had less than a thousand views *.* (Laura Palmer was not entered before this, that's fake news), this stands out in my 2012 entries as one that still ranks amongst my all time favourites, I obvs don't associate Bastille with BJSC much anymore but this is still absolutely amazingly heartfelt and anthemic with some stunning guitar work that makes my lower lip tremble every time. I felt the same about it at the time, and was glad to see it qualify as I was quite keen to not become typecast with one genre, it was the first of my many wooden spoons, unsurprisingly maybe but saddening especially as I'm sure it would've done better had I waited a few months ago, but it still remains quite underrated as a song so the fact it qualified at all is something that pleases me.

 

03; BJSC XLIV /

/ DNQ (19th in Semi Final)

 

Ah, this one still makes me mad -___ It's the one entry from this bunch that I really feel had I waited a year or so, it may have done better, and although I did give it a second chance in both rejects and YBO, still no justice was done, sigh, learn to appreciate this song hoes x Anyway, the first of my many DNQs was this ambient dance track which went on to become a minor hit in some places but not here. I still love and listen to this one regularly, a brilliantly atmospheric and slowly building track that I will never understand the failure with.

 

04; BJSC XLV /

/ DNQ (17th in Semi Final)

 

This also makes me mad but not for similar reasons, more the fact I'm still annoyed as to why I even entered this lol. I was planning to send Of Monsters & Men's Dirty Paws to this contest (still a big fave <3 this was a few months before they blew up), but after a DNQ, I wanted something that would be successful so I came across this, which I'd found the artist to have been successful in the past, and instantly thought it would be a big BJSC hit, so I switched...which it wasn't lmao, I'm sure Dirty Paws would've been my breakthrough hit but we'll never know now. IN SUMMARY: I deserved what I got :kink: I NEVER listen to this anymore, if mainly cos while not a bad synthy number, I just didn't really love it, DNQs can do this to you.

 

05; BJSC XLVI / Forss - In Paradisum / DNQ (26th in Semi Final)

 

From sending something I thought would pander to Buzzjack's tastes to something completely against that. This was one where I really wasn't sure what I was thinking sending it, maybe I was just really into Forss at the time and his minimalist electronic music proving something quite different in the times where my taste was changing and I was moving away from the charts and that blinded my judgement. It was a short lived obsession as I haven't listened to him in ages, I'm kinda glad I sent it just for the VARIETY it adds to my back catalogue, not that I'd ever be stupid enough to send it again.

 

06: BJSC XLVII /

/ DNQ (23rd in Semi Final)

 

lmao...like really? I think I'd thrown in the towel at this point, that or I really was STARVED of an entry this month. Actually, I wanted to send Kyla La Grange Walk Through Walls to this contest (when I was still brave enough to confirm fresh leaks), but was beaten to it, so ofc. it went top 10 :x This kinda cod reggae song though...I guess I thought it sounded quite nice and wanted to share it? I'm a bit perplexed, I was over it so quickly anyway and would probably rank it right at the bottom of my entries.

 

07: BJSC XLVIII / Starsmith - Zeros / DNQ (19th in Semi Final)

 

This WAS notable for being the first of my entries of it's kind - the classic building long instrumental sound that I love, so I suppose I was drawn to this naturally. It failed again and I can see why, it's payoff really isn't good enough to make up for the long build up and the production just feels kinda basic and meandering throughout, and that's pretty much all there is to say about this one so yeah (and yes this is the same Starsmith that's worked with Ellie Goulding et al., guess this was a demo he didn't wanna keep).

 

08: BJSC XLVIV /

/ DNQ (16th in Semi Final)

 

Another artist we lay claim to *.* Well no actually we really can't. This was probably the cheapest thing we've ever sent and one I imagine came the closest to being vetoed, what with it being a minor top 100 Radio 1 A-listed hit, but also one that had been entered into a recent Unknown Pleasures (which I hadn't come across yet ok!11), so really I guess I deserved this DNQ for being a cheap hoe, though it was still a sad one as I was quite sure I had something successful here. I THINK I prefer Shut Up & Dance these days, that deserved to do well, but still, this is a wonderfully fun indie pop ride that never loses energy and one I wish would've gotten more attention either way as it's simply a great song.

 

09: BJSC L /

/ DNQ (20th in Semi Final)

 

So rounding off a rather awful debut year as we began. Honestly, this one I kind of sensed was too much of a risk, I was mainly compelled to send this (after I got beaten to what I wanted to send that contest, more on that later) because of possibly one of the best music videos I'd seen in a long time, and one that is still amazing, idk sock puppets are just so so appealing and one about a troubled love story between them even more so. It's failure didn't deter my love for it, it's a great song as well with a wonderful synth line and infectious chorus, that somehow stood out to me over other sounds of the same ilk. I pretty much completely deserted this sound after this in terms of my own entries, but one I still happily listen to. Also, watch the video srsly.

 

Gosh, I was such a MESS this year, it gets better from here on~

Edited February 5, 20178 yr by Chez Wombat

2012: Away

 

So I may have done a bit shit this year, but the reason I stayed was the reason I'm still here - that it introduced me to so much new music that I wouldn't have found in the charts, and 2012, while a little bit different in terms of sound, this was still an excellent year in terms of BJSC entries and I still listen to these ten regularly (and while it may appear that way sometimes, I've definitely just listed my ten twelve pointers here, some songs don't properly hit you instantly):

 

Country - Song - Contest - Position - Points Given by myself obvs

 

#00274E –

, BJSC XLV, 4th/31, 10 Points

 

45 was a really great contest for BJSC and this was one of the gems uncovered here. A still active country, but numbers were still getting hits back then and this was no exception. Conquest, short and sweet clocking in at just under three minutes, is everything you could want from a dreampop track with an earworm of a chorus accompanied by gradiose synths that live up to the track's epic title. I had missed out on The Sound of Arrows' (though apparently I inadvertantly entered one of their aliases last year as Kids of the Apocalypse were unmasked as one of the guys from here) previous material in here, but this was a great introduction.

 

Aeroche –

, BJSC XLVI, 1st/30, 12 Points

 

Aeroche's FIRST EVER WIN, just three contests in so starting as they meant to go on. But this was still seen very much as a GENUINE shock winner as it's hype was mininal and it was a significant one for reasons other than that - it definitely marked a new 'sound' taking over in BJSC so that the pop/dance sound wasn't as dominant which emerged into the mainly extremely diverse contest that it has become today (I think back then it was known as 'indie/hipsters taking over' *shudders*), and I loved it as it meant there was a lot of 'risky' entries actually getting some recognition, this being one of them ofc. It was my top pointer so I can only heap praise on it but it's still a hauntingly beautiful, desolate electronic track accompanied by a painful but powerful video that I'm so pleased reached a wider audience. I prefer the seven minute version as a song, but the three minute video linked is a must watch. Still a regular fixture on my playlist, I don't think you've bettered this one, leww <3

 

Herzebania – Phase Spin feat. Matty G & Jolene – Let You Go, BJSC XLVI, 12th/30, 10 Points

 

I can't remember who this country was (Peter30? They never entered again after iirc) and this track is no longer on the internet, oops. Thankfully I have an MP3 if anyone wants it x anyway, second to Aeroche in my points in this contest and the other end of the spectrum to it in every way. It was pretty much classic pop dance BJSC, but it was enjoyable and I do love a bit of generic pop dance sometimes, especially one with production as exquisite as this. It was very much a song of the summer for me and still a fave.

 

Kylienips –

, BJSC XLVII, 9th/30, 10 Points

 

Well, yeah I've already said this was gonna be my entry for that contest so I'm not bitter x this was still a great epic pop anthem with some brilliantly emotional vocal work going on throughout. It was very much classic BJSC seeing as she'd been entered before, but had that indie-alt edge that drew me to it and to date, I think this was one of the only other BJSC battles I've been involved in, still good to listen to these days, though nowadays, it's all about the Kygo version of Cut Your Teeth.

 

Ingermanlandia –

, BJSC XLV, 1st/29, 12 Points

 

Probably one of the most notable winners in BJSC history, or at least that I've been here for, from the now sadly inactive Ingermanlandia, it kinda changed everything in that omg it was a male led indie song that won!11 I feel it would only do even better these days, not the least cos of a wider range of tastes, but it still sounds totally timeless, the strings and percussion are a masterful mix along with an admirably distinctive vocal and it builds to a spellbinding climax. Says a lot that even the real world took (small) interest, one of my all time favourites from here and long may it stand as a BJSC classic.

 

Lake Thermwoods –

, BJSC XLIV, 5th/29, 8 Points

 

Country in here? What? Well, there was some good ones from the genre back then I suppose. First Aid Kit are a name I've seen around, but none was quite as powerful and emotional as the brilliant Emmylou, sent by the inactive Lake Thermwoods (the poster known as Atonement). The pure emotion and heart in the two vocalists' voices are what lifts this alongside the morose strings in the background, the lyrics are beautifully done in their metaphor, so much it makes me well up. I was feeling quite lonely myself at the time of this coming out and it resonated with me a lot and somewhat helped me feel better, so I'll always hold it very highly in my affections. It only got my eight points at the time but has definitely stuck with me much more than what beat it (Jessie Ware' 110% (almost here but not really one I associate much with BJSC at all) and Queen of Hearts' Neon which I barely listen to anymore, but almost sent at the time). Anyway, :heart: (shush bre)

 

Numayania –

, BJSC XLII, 4th/29, 12 Points

 

My first ever 12 Pointer! Certainly not something I'd do the same with these days, but it certainly provided me with reason to stick around as I did repeat this a lot. This country were quite a force this year (Tom Kay, actually not sure he's posted in years), their sound was very much the Scandi-pop-dance sound that would smash no problem back then and I certainly don't hold most of that sound in that high regard these days, but even I can't deny the addictiveness and brilliant bounciness as this, one of my pop faves.

 

Tinnmark –

, BJSC XLVII, 11th/30, 12 Points

 

Gosh, I barely listen to this these days but it's why I love things like this as it reminds me of how much I used to love this. Tinnmark don't always send things to my taste, but when they do, it normally hits me in a big way. Darling is great in both it's twinkly production and it's uplifting and slightly other-worldly feel in the vocals lifts this up to euphoric levels.

 

Usfland –

, BJSC XLVIII, 9th/31, 12 Points

 

Much like the above country, when Usfland do send something truly amazing, they do it excellently, a wonderfully eclectic country, I stanned them quite a bit in my earlier days. This was an excellent emotional indie track that grows more and more effective and desperate with how it builds and repeats itself constantly. There actually really weren't enough tracks like this in BJSC back then and today and when it comes, it's a welcome change.

 

Zechonia -

, BJSC XLIII, 5th/29, 12 Points

 

Oh Zech, I miss you, you really did send the most excellently standout of entries that I very rarely didn't really like and would've fit in quite well with the current #rockbloc I feel. But this violin-dubstep hybrid instrumental was definitely their crowning moment, it summed up the very best of what I could find in BJSC - classical inspired instrumentals with a contemporary twist, indeed probably my favourite genre if I had to pick one and this is still an excellently twisting and constantly erupting piece that I could listen to all day, and it opened my eyes to Lindsey Stirling's other epic compositions as well. This was a VERY surprise hit at the time, it was widely predicted to DNQ, and I'm all the happier for it as it showed distinctiveness can prevail, and I'm sure if it were sent, it would do no worse.

 

2013 possibly coming soon, idk how long that's gonna take me though ;o